05-29-16 John 16:5-16

John 16:5-16 (NIV)

The Work of the Holy Spirit

⁵"Now I am going to Him who sent me,

yet none of you asks me,

'Where are you going?'

⁶Because I have said these things,

you are filled with grief.

⁷But I tell you the Truth:

It is for your good that I am going away.

Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go,

I will send Him to you.

⁸When He comes,

He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin

and righteousness and judgment:

⁹in regard to sin,

because men do not believe in me;

¹⁰in regard to righteousness,

because I am going to the Father,

where you can see me no longer;

¹¹and in regard to judgment,

because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

¹²"I have much more to say to you,

more than you can now bear.

1³But when He,

the Spirit of Truth,

comes,

He will guide you into all Truth.

He will not speak on his own;

He will speak only what He hears,

and He will tell you what is yet to come.

¹⁴He will bring glory to me

by taking from what is mine

and making it known to you.

¹⁵All that belongs to the Father is mine.

That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

¹⁶"In a little while you will see me no more,

and then after a little while you will see me."

School’s out. Summer’s here.

My grandkids have been waiting for this - for weeks, maybe even months.

They now have all summer for fulfilling their dreams of doing nothing but swimming, riding their bikes, endlessly playing video games, and of course, going on their family vacations.

While our grandkids live in their own little world this summer, we adults will be living in a total different one.

There seems to be always a constant economic struggle going on.

Between trying to be good stewards to God and His Church, putting a few dollars into savings for a rainy day, trying to make wise investments for our future, and just trying to stay a little ahead of the big game of life.

And then we throw in:

·        With this being election year,

·        And what seems to be not only endless conflicts within our own nation,

·        But also between our nation and all of the others.  

However, if there is one thing that I have learned within my life time:

·        It is that everyone - has their very own direction and version of the truth.

I know through our time here on Sunday mornings and in our Bible Classes and other studies,

·        We have read God’s Truth.

·        And discussed God’s Truth.

·        We continue to try to find how His Truth fits within our own individual lives.

·        And also how it fits into the so-called ‘truths’ of our world today.

It is very hard these days to know just:

·        Who we are to listen to

·        And who to believe in

·        And who to follow.

There is one Truth which never seems to change and it is that

·        Everyone, Everyone is trying to lead us into their own version of what the truth really is.

In 1997, Nathan Zohner,

·        A then 14-year-old student

·        Who attended St Eagle Rock Junior High School in Idaho Falls

·        Won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair

·        By demonstrating just how CONDITIONED we all have become

·        To the endless doomsayers

§  The destroyers

§  The negative thinkers

§  The people who convince we are to be scared of this or that.

·        Those who continue to spread FEAR of just about EVERTHING in our lives.

In his project he urged people to sign a petition

·        Demanding strict control of the use of

·        Or even total elimination all of the use of a chemical called "Dihydrogen monoxide."

In his defense, he presented a very logical and persuasive argument.  

This chemical:
1. It can cause excessive sweating and vomiting.
2. It is a major component in acid rain.
3. It can cause severe burns in its gaseous state.
4. If you accidental inhale this it can kill you.
5. It is a major component in the erosion of ALL our natural landscapes.
6. It causes automobile brakes to FAIL.
7. It is found in tumors of terminal cancer patients.

He asked 50 people if they support a ban on this product.

43 said YES
6 were undecided
And only 1 said no. That was because this person knew what that chemical was ...  It is water.

Now we laugh but the type of reaction that the 43 out of 50 people had is totally understandable.

In our world today, we are helplessly submitted to products which influence our lives every moment of every day.

And when we use, apply or eat these products –

·        They will cause a reaction with something.

From using plain aspirin which is found in every home,

o   to using the most sophisticated prescription medicine on the market,

o   All drugs come with some type of side effects.

o   Many are minor,

o   Some are just an inconvenience,

o   However a few are very serious,

o   And some are just plain strange.

Perhaps the most common set of side effects of all drugs which are taken internally (through the mouth) involves the body to produce an extra amount of gas within our digestive system.

Nearly all drugs can cause nausea or an upset stomach.

And for drugs which we use externally, (Applying it to our skin) rashes, or skin irritations is the most common complaint.

Would you agree with me that what we consider to be our TRUTH,

Is - to us individually - made true by our own reality? Our way of thinking?

Therefore our way of thinking predicts

How we view

Or what we hold as Truth.

-----

Let me see if I can explain this to you quickly:

Ephesians 6:13-15 (NLT)

13) Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

14) Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

15) For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

Let me ask you before we dive into this scripture,

o   what do you think God is telling us when He said “Putting on the belt of truth”?

Do you believe and understand that God’s full meaning of this scripture is for us to put on “God’s Truth”, “His Truth”, ‘the true Truth’ along with God’s righteousness so we will be prepared to battle with the evil?

To understand the full meaning of this scripture, we must first start with understand what God is writing through Paul.

Paul wrote this passage in this form, in this way because he was writing to people who understood and could relate very well to a Roman Soldier’s armor.

A Soldier’s belt was this massive leather like item which put everything together.

During warm weather, the soldiers wore shorter skirts but during colder weather, they wore longer skirts

.

And when it came time from them to prepare for battle, since you can’t really run very well in a long skirt, they would take the bottom of their skirts and tuck the ends of the skirt into the top of their belt.  This would free their legs so they could move much quicker.

Also when they would sheathed their swards, all of this weight would be hanging on their belt so it was important to hold it well so the soldier could withdraw it quickly for battle.

And then their upper body armor would also come down and connected to the top of this belt. This was very important because it would not only allow their upper body armor to stay in place but it would also protect their stomach area.

Their belt was the very first piece of equipment to put on and in many ways, it was the most important part of their armor.

So we know what the soldier’s belt was and how important it was. It was the first piece the soldier would put on and it held everything together.

Now let’s go to another scripture, Psalms 139:23-24 (NLT)

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Now, with reading what God wrote through David, does that change your understanding of what God was writing through Paul?

See, it is not only God’s Truth but it is also how we understand God’s Truth that makes up our Truth.

We try to understand and put to practice God’s Truth however, that idea changes as we learn and grow more and more in Him.

What we just read in Psalms, it is a prayer asking for God to help us understand what Truths we possess or understand as true truths, God’s Truths which are not in line with His Truths at all and we are asking for His help to point out those areas and to help us make those changes so our truths are more like His Truths.

So, our truths which we hold and live by are grounded within our understanding of God’s Truths but they may not be one of the same. But here is the big idea, we view them as being one of the same.

----

Most People are trying to sell you on their TRUTHS.

At least on their Truths as they understand them to be.

All the while - all of us:

Are going through life looking for the True Truths to live by.

Truth.

Have you ever stopped and wondered WHY Jesus Himself, like He did within our scripture reading today, why Jesus said so many times,

“I TELL YOU THE TRUTH” …?

It is because we need to hear that HE IS the Truth over and over.

That is Christ is telling us this Truth and He is the Truth.

Do you recall back in Jesus trial time, in John 18:38, when we heard Pontius Pilate asking his wife: What is Truth?

That is a question that continues to plague everyone who:

·        Tries to do the right thing,

·        Who tries to live a life above board,

·        Who struggles within all of the difficulties within our lives.

Today, in our scripture, we heard Jesus telling his disciples:

·        “I have much more to say to you.”

·        “More than I can possibly say to you now under the circumstances.”

·        “But when the Holy Spirit comes he will guide you into all truth.”

Take a moment and think about those words of Jesus.

ALL TRUTH.

Jesus will “lead us into all truth.”

I know that these are Jesus’ Words and they are the TRUTH.

·        But how do you ever find firm ground to stand on in any issue?

·        How do you find the full Truth of anything?

First, you find:

·        The Spirit,

·        The HOLY SPIRIT,

·        Who, Jesus says, is the Spirit of Truth.

This is the job of the Holy Spirit.

·        He points to the Truth.

·        He guides us to the Truth.

Beans or favorite Song

Work with me in this.

You should have a pen and a piece of paper with two questions written on it.

1.   Please, write the number of beans which you feel is in this jar.

2.   Next, please write down your all-time favorite song.

I will give you a moment to complete this and then I will ask you your answers.

1.   How many beans do you feel are in this jar?

The correct number is _____________.

2.   Now, what is your favorite song?

So we have all of the songs listed there, so I want you to tell me which one of these songs is the “RIGHT ANSWER”.

There will not be a ‘right answer’ because a person’s favorite song is purely a matter of taste.

Then tell me,

·        When you decide what to believe in when it comes to the terms of your faith, is that more like guessing the number of beans, or more like choosing your favorite song?

The answer is:

·        Choosing one's faith is knowing how many beans there is in a jar.

Let’s be clear about this.

Faith is like guessing how many beans there are in the jar.

Faith is certain.

Faith is not imprecise or unclear.

Faith is not a matter of opinion.

·        It does not matter how you were baptized,

o   Whether you were sprinkled or dunked, or as a baby or as an adult

§  But it matters whether you were baptized.

·        It may not matter what your denomination of religion is,

o   Wesleyan or Baptist or Catholic,

§  But it does matter whether you live by and call yourself a Christian.

It matters to me

how many beans there are in the jar.

Let me tell you just how:

(You can recite this along with me)

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church*,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

That’s how many beans there are!

Secondly, The Spirit of Truth will set you free.

“The truth will set you free.”

We all say it to our children.

It is one of the greatest concepts of Jesus’ teaching.

But there is a problem.

There is a requirement.

When you have found the truth you have to stand in that truth.

·        It is not enough to know what the truth is;

·        But you must act upon it.

Many of us, when confronted with an issue know what the right thing to do is.

The question then becomes - will we act on what we know to be true.

It’s like the two men who had an argument.

To settle the matter, they went to a judge for settlement.

The plaintiff made his case.

·        He was very powerful and persuasive in his reasoning.

·        When he finished, the judge nodded in approval and said, "That's right, that's right."

With hearing this, the defendant jumped up and said,

·        "Wait a minute judge.

·        You haven't even heard my side of the case yet."

·        So the judge told the defendant to state his case.

·        And he, too, was very powerful and persuasive.

·        When he finished, the judge said, "That's right, that's right."

When the clerk of court heard this, he jumped up and said,

·        "Judge, they both can't be right."

·        The judge looked at the clerk of court and said, "That's right, that's right."

There are three difficulties with Truth.

1.   The first is to find it.

2.   The second is to act upon it.

3.   The third is to speak it.

Henry Augustus Rowland,

Professor of physics at Johns Hopkins University, was once called as an expert witness at a trial.

During cross-examination a lawyer demanded, "What are your qualifications as an expert witness in this case?"

The normally modest and retiring professor replied quietly, "I am the greatest living expert on the subject under discussion."

Later a well acquainted friend of Rowland expressed surprise at the professor's uncharacteristic answer. Rowland simply replied, "Well, what did you expect me to do? I was under oath."

The church must speak the truth, like the Physics professor.

We are not the bearers of some of the truth or half the truth.

We Christians are the bearers of All the Truth.

Jesus is not a way to God!

He is the way!

The Christ is not, as Mohammad said, just a prophet.

He is God incarnate!

Our heavenly Father did not just send us a representative to earth;

God the Father sent His only Son!

This way of thinking may sound arrogant to those outside the church but we can do nothing less.

We are under oath.

We are His followers,

God the Father,

God the Son

And God the Holy Spirit.

o   We are bound by what we have heard the Spirit reveal to our hearts.

o   And We ARE obligated to speak it to the world.

Amen.